Police Log - 02/14/19

Posted
Friday, February 15, 2019 1:35 pm

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

On Feb. 5 at approximately 6:20 p.m., Detective James Seymore was on an assigned detail at the Tri Town Community Health building on Hartford Avenue. He was standing outside of the building in the area of the crosswalk when he observed a RIPTA bus pull over on the adjacent side of the roadway.

The bus driver then exited and motioned to the detective to speak with him. Seymore crossed the road and made contact with the driver, who stated that there was a man and woman on the bus who had been kissing and groping each other for some time.

The driver said that he asked the couple to stop numerous times, but the man became belligerent toward him and told him he would “kick his [expletive].” It was at that time that the driver pull the bus over and asked for the detective’s assistance, as the driver wished to have the couple removed from the bus.

Seymore then entered the bus and observed one woman sitting toward the back of the bus and a male and female sitting together toward the middle of the bus. The driver identified the couple as the people involved. The detective then attempted to speak with the man, who was later identified as Jonathan Mims, 35, of 415 Friendship St., Providence. The detective asked Mims what the issue was, and the suspect immediately stood up from his seat, became belligerent by swearing, and allegedly said, “I can kiss my girl on this [expletive] bus, [expletive] you.”

The detective reportedly attempted to calm Mims down by saying he was just trying to see what was going on and that Mims should relax and the situation would get sorted out. Mims again said “[expletive] you” and allegedly began to approach the detective in an aggressive manner with clenched his fists and a fighting stance.

The detective instructed Mims to back away, which he did. Seymore then exited the bus, crossed the roadway, and radioed for additional units to respond to the scene. As he was radioing for another unit, the detective reported that he observed Mims on the bus punching the windows and interior panels while screaming. Seymore instructed dispatch that he believed Mims was smashing and vandalizing the interior of the bus.

Additional units responded immediately. Lt. Joseph Salvador was the first officer to assist Seymour. They reportedly tried numerous times to come Mims down, but he continued to yell and be belligerent toward the officers.

The detective then observed Mims again get into a fighting stance, approach Salvadore and attempt to chest bump him. Mims was immediately taken to the ground by the other officers who arrived on scene. He reportedly resisted officers violently by twisting his body, tucking his hands under his body and kicking his legs. It was at that time that Officer Merrick Cook used his Taser in an attempt to have Mims comply with commands.

Mims reportedly continued to resist, and after a struggle he was eventually placed in handcuffs. He was then transported to police headquarters, where he is said to have been belligerent with officers and was not able to be fully processed.

On Feb. 6, Mims was arranged before District Court Judge Joseph Ippolito on a felony charge of violation of a no-contact order due to two previous convictions. He was also charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. A violation hearing was scheduled for Feb. 19, and surety bail was set at $1,000.

HIT AND RUN

At approximately 2:24 p.m. on Feb. 6, officers Vanessa Wilcox and Michael Martufi were dispatched to the area of 705 Killingly St. for a report of a hit-and-run motor vehicle accident with injuries.

At the scene, the officers spoke to a witness who stated he was traveling southbound on Killingly Street when a black vehicle in front of him veered into oncoming traffic and struck the front driver’s side of a white Chevy pickup truck. The driver then fled the scene and took a right turn onto Waveland Street.

The officers then spoke with the driver of the pickup truck, who stated she was traveling north on Killingly Street when she was stuck by the black vehicle. She said the black vehicle crossed over into her lane of travel and struck the front driver side of her truck. The officers observed damage to the driver side of the vehicle consistent with the statements provided.

The driver of the Chevy stated she exited her vehicle and asked the driver of the black car, later identified as Sean Powers, 30, of 23 Tabor Drive, Johnston, if he was intoxicated, and he answered no. Powers then allegedly said that he was going to pull into a parking lot before leaving the scene.

While officers Wilcox and Martufi remained on scene, other units as well as detectives patrolled the area of Waveland Street in search of the suspect vehicle. Eventually, the car was located parked and unattended on Oneida Street. The report notes that the vehicle sustained damage consistent with the accident, and Powers was observed walking away from the vehicle on Archer Avenue turning onto Berclay Street. Lt. Joseph Salvadore approach Powers, and he reportedly stated, “It was me, I took off.”

Background checks revealed that Powers had a suspended license, and he was taken into custody and transported to police headquarters. An inventory search of his vehicle reportedly revealed nine grams of marijuana and 23 Alprazolam pills. His vehicle was then towed from the scene and his registration plates were seized.

At police headquarters, Powers was processed without incident and placed into a cell. He was issued a Third Division District Court notice to appear with a summons for operation of an unregistered vehicle and operating without evidence of insurance. A summons was also issued for laned roadway violations.

Powers was later arraigned by Justice of the Peace Joseph Solomon on charges of possession of a schedule IV drug, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in damage to an attended vehicle, and driving with a suspended license, third or subsequent offense. He was released on $3,000 personal recognizance with another court date scheduled for May 8.

SUSPENDED LICENSE

On Feb. 6 at approximately 5:48 p.m., Officer Richard Varan observed a car traveling north on Killingly Street with an expired registration tag. A traffic stop was then initiated and the vehicle was detained in the area of Cedar Street.

Contact was made with the driver, identified as James Noel, 25, of 271 Woonasquatucket Ave., Apt. 6, North Providence. A Rhode Island DMV check revealed that the car’s registration had been canceled as of August 2018 and that Noel had a suspended license.

Noel was charged with operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license and transported to Johnston Police headquarters. He was processed and later released with a Third Division District Court summons to appear for driving with a suspended license, third or subsequent offense. He was also issued a summons for operation of the vehicle when registration is canceled. His car was towed from the scene.